Anti-Creasing Agents
A crease mark is the permanent line that sets where the rope folds over itself in a machine running fabric in rope form. It shows up after dyeing as a lighter or darker streak, and it usually cannot be taken out. Derin Kimya's anti-creasing range covers two families and four products.
How does a crease mark form?
In a jet or overflow machine the fabric runs in rope form. Where the rope folds over itself a permanent crease sets in, and the higher the temperature and the machine speed, the more firmly it sets. Along that line the fibre meets the liquor differently and takes up dye differently, so when the cloth is opened out a lighter or darker streak runs down it.
Not every fibre creases as readily. Polyester and its blends deform above the glass transition temperature, which makes HT dyeing the highest-risk stage. Viscose loses part of its strength when wet, so it takes a mechanical mark easily. Heavy cotton knits and elastane blends belong to the same risk group.
What does an anti-creasing agent do?
Two mechanisms are at work. The first is lubrication: the product leaves a thin film on the fibre surface so the rope slides over itself and over the machine surfaces instead of folding sharply. The second is rope control: the cloth opens and gathers more freely inside the machine, so the same place is not folded the same way over and over.
|
Family |
Structure |
Strength |
|---|---|---|
|
Polymeric anti-creasing agents |
Polymer-based lubricant |
Stable at high temperature, broad dye compatibility |
|
Oil-based anti-creasing agents |
Oil and oil-derivative emulsion |
Stronger lubrication, more effect on handle |
Polymeric products are the first choice in HT dyeing and on elastane blends; oil-based products suit heavy cloth and machines that put a high mechanical load on the rope.
Does an anti-creasing agent interfere with the dyeing?
It can. Anything that leaves a film on the fibre surface interferes with dye penetration. Overdosed, or ionically at odds with the dye, an anti-creasing agent produces unlevelness and shade drift. So compatibility with the dye class (disperse, reactive, acid) gets confirmed before the dosage is set.
Foam is the second risk. Oil-based emulsions can foam in the turbulence of a jet, and if an antifoam has to go into the recipe, the compatibility of the two products then needs checking.
Dosage and where the product goes in
The anti-creasing agent has to be in the bath before the cloth reaches its critical temperature. For polyester that means before heating reaches the glass transition zone; added later, the mark is already there. In exhaust work the product usually goes in with the dyebath, and no separate application in the pre-wash is needed.
Fabric weight and machine loading feed straight into the dosage. The same recipe struggles more in a jet running at the top of its capacity, and there it is usually cheaper to cut the batch size than to raise the product.
What if the crease is already there?
A crease set during dyeing usually cannot be taken out, because the mark is fixed in the fibre rather than in the cloth. Hot pressing, opening the fabric wide on the stenter or softening it will soften the line without removing it.
The intervention that works is preventive and starts at the machine: lower the fill temperature, slow the heating gradient, balance rope speed and tension, and stop loading the machine above its rated capacity. An anti-creasing agent sits alongside those settings, not in place of them.
Per-product dosage and temperature ranges are given on each product page: pending from the client.
Product families
Products in this category
Oil-Based Anti-Creasing Agents1 product
- DK ANTICREASE OB
Oil-based anti-creasing agent whose ester oil phase gives more lubricity and a thicker film than a polymer does.
Polymeric Anti-Creasing Agents3 products
- DK ANTICREASE 1010
Polymeric anti-creasing agent whose film rinses out easily, protecting the goods without touching the next finish.
- DK ANTICREASE 1026
Polymeric anti-creasing agent that leaves a lubricating film on the fibre and keeps crease marks out of rope-form goods.
- DK ANTICREASE MAX
Concentrated polymeric anti-creasing agent giving protection at low dosage on heavy, crease-prone lots.
Common questions
Should an anti-creasing agent go into every dyeing?
No. Light cotton knits dyed at low temperature and low tension often need nothing extra. The decision follows fibre, weight and machine type; using it where it is not needed adds cost and an unnecessary film load.
Does a softener prevent creasing?
A softener applied at the finishing stage is not in the bath during dyeing, so it has no effect on creasing. An anti-creasing agent has to be present in the dyebath before the cloth reaches the critical temperature.
Do elastane blends need something different?
Elastane contracts under heat and builds tension in the rope, which raises the crease risk. Polymeric products are preferred on those fabrics, and slowing the heating and cooling gradient can matter more than the product choice.
Not finding what you need?
We develop custom formulations. Tell us your process, machine type and the result you are after, and the lab will set up a trial and send a sample.